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Dressing machines "made in Austria"
By definition, "doers" know no barriers; they prefer to look for solutions. They tackle challenges quickly without lamenting about them for long. They also don't dwell on crisis messages, which in turn only lead to scaremongering. They are anything but doubters and prefer to make unfavorable decisions in the short term instead of putting them on the back burner. Lukas Watzenböck, Managing Director of GWD, fits this description perfectly.
Even at a young age, the trained design engineer had a head full of ideas. His goal was to work flexibly and independently. As a trained design engineer for mechanical engineering, he therefore began trading in used machines in 2017 alongside his job as a sales manager. His grandfather's old, disused sawmill was made available to him as his first "company building". At some point, the first request for an inexpensive planer arrived. As there was no suitable machine available on the market, the native Upper Austrian decided to use his contacts in Asia to manufacture one himself. It had to be manual, powerful and versatile. The then 25-year-old had recognized a market in this niche. In this interview, the 29-year-old reveals, among other things, what sets his dressing machines apart from others and why he has suddenly become the owner of two companies.
Mr. Watzenböck, you are now the owner of two companies. One is GWD and the other is ATP. How did this come about and what connections are there between these two companies?
In addition to my work as sales manager at ATP, I started trading in used machines and shortly afterwards also started importing, manufacturing and selling dressing machines.GWD developed excellently, the demand for dressing machines increased and therefore GWD became more and more important to me.I can still remember the delivery of the first dressing machine to RLZ Zerspanungstechnik GmbH, with whom I still maintain a good friendship today. A few years later, ATP was also up for sale, as no successor could be found for the owner-managed company. I was able to acquire the shares that year and have now become managing director of both companies. GWD and ATP.
Lukas Watzenböck
Yes, sometimes it is. But it also makes the whole thing exciting again. I want both companies to be as independent as possible so that I can concentrate better on the direction and development. Of course, I can't withdraw completely from the day-to-day business. Fortunately, we can use the same infrastructure, such as office space and IT systems, which of course gives us a big advantage in terms of fixed costs.
Lukas Watzenböck
You are just 29 years young and successfully running both companies. Very few people your age have that kind of responsibility. It seems to me that you are handling it well...
Of course, I am well aware of the responsibility. An average of 20 employees work in both companies, who have to provide for themselves and their families. That's why I see it as my duty to ensure that both companies are run successfully. I have always had the urge to work flexibly and independently, to implement my own ideas and to be my own boss. My father willingly made the space in my grandfather's old sawmill available to me for my first experiences. I have always enjoyed working, and sixty hours was not unusual for me. But I never found it stressful to work a lot. On the contrary, I was rather annoyed when I was held up and couldn't do my "thing". The only way forward for me was to become self-employed.
Lukas Watzenböck
In 2017, I started an online shop for wooden sunglasses. As my grandfather was in the timber trade and I wanted to create a link to him, I called the company GranWood. At some point, I gave up the online trade again and adopted the name for the used machine trade and for the manufacture and sale of dressing machines, from which GWD is now derived in short form.
Lukas Watzenböck
Oh yes, that's a good question. GWD with its dressing machines is a fairly young company with a lot of growth potential. I started from scratch and it has developed magnificently. We have been able to increase our turnover by 50 percent annually in recent years, and we have now also increased our sales force.
ATP is a grown, solid company with established structures and customer bases. Both companies stand for themselves, are exciting and have great potential for development. Opportunities must be seized and I am therefore convinced that the Group will not stop at these two companies.
Lukas Watzenböck
It is a very easy-to-operate, manual dressing machine that offers all the necessary functions, including software, at a very reasonable cost-benefit ratio, so that even less financially strong companies can afford this machine. We have deliberately taken the step of importing high-quality Asian machines in order to convert them to a European standard. Machines from other suppliers have a basic machine and an extra charge is made for every conceivable additional function. We want to grow together with our customers, which means that we will most likely also offer a CNC-controlled machine at some point in the near future. We already have initial thoughts on this, but we are still looking for a test customer for this system.
Our aim is to grow continuously, prudently and organically, in the long term and step by step. And all with our own resources. If customers opt for our dressing machine, they receive it as a complete package. Our machine includes all functions, such as DXF import or speed measurement, etc., at no extra charge. Customers cannot choose between different additional functions. This in turn makes it very easy for our customers and the purchase decision is made quickly. The machine that the customer inspects here on site is the one they will receive for their business. Of course, there are always special requests from customers, which are then individually agreed with them and installed. In the meantime, we have also launched a GWDress 650 dressing machine for grinding wheels with diameters of up to 650 mm. And if our own dressing machine is not tailored to the customer's needs, we can also offer something suitable from our pool of used machines.
Lukas Watzenböck
In spring 2023, you were able to exhibit your machine at GrindTec in Leipzig for the first time.
Was this trade fair debut worthwhile for you?
We were actually able to sell machines directly at the trade fair, which of course pleased and encouraged us. The trade fair also expected this, but to be honest we would have liked more visitors. We are already planning a trade fair appearance for GrindingHub.
Lukas Watzenböck
Keeping a company that is successful on its successful course will probably be my biggest personal task. Digitalization is a challenge, but I see it more as an opportunity. It will involve major changes, but people also have to be prepared for this change and develop an understanding for it. That won't happen overnight.
Lukas Watzenböck
Our aim will be to become a full-service provider for this niche. It is important to us that the machines offered by GWD are tailored to the needs of the market. That is why cooperation with customers is extremely important to us. Goal-oriented, constructive suggestions from customers are incorporated into the new machines.
Lukas Watzenböck
We mainly see our market in Europe. However, we are also interested in acquiring new customers internationally. The next step will therefore be to build up a dealer network in various countries. Dealers are aware of local market requirements and can therefore naturally provide better support in local decision-making.
Lukas Watzenböck
You sold your first dressing machine in 2021.You can now find GWD dressing machines "made in Austria" in many other countries.As mentioned earlier, you haven't had any complaints yet.And that as a newcomer...
No, we haven't actually had any complaints so far.We once delivered a machine to a customer who wasn't quite sure whether it would suit his needs.We therefore gave him an option to return the machine.After a few weeks, he made use of the return option and returned the machine to us. The manual surface planer was not enough for him. Fortunately, however, we have not had any service calls or problems with our machines at the customer's premises to date.
Lukas Watzenböck
Vita Lukas Watzenböck
Sometimes Lukas Watzenböck wishes his day had 48 hours instead of 24 so that he could juggle everything.That makes sense, because with two companies and two children not yet of school age, the day is always full to the brim.But not enough.In addition to his self-employment and his role as a family man, he is also studying mechatronics and economics at the University of Applied Sciences with the aim of completing his Bachelor's degree in the near future. When asked what distinguishes him as an entrepreneur, he says that he is good at recognizing connections, sees the big picture and enjoys making decisions. Time and again, the young entrepreneur discusses certain strategies and plans with his father. Although he is not self-employed, he is always questioning things, sees the risk and sometimes his ideas are backed up with solid arguments.
Arguments are picked apart by him. In the end, says Lukas Watzenböck, the result is always pleasing. "Being his own boss" is something the native of Upper Austria has always wanted.Complex tasks appeal to him just as much as the variety he experiences every day.He therefore sees himself as a financial planner, motivator, visionary, technical consultant and personnel decision-maker all rolled into one.Lukas Watzenböck admits that he has to schedule time with his family, which is often neglected during the week. That's why he likes to spend a lot of time with his wife and their children at the weekend. In general, he describes himself as a rather courageous and risk-taking person, but he always weighs things up carefully before making decisions. He does not yet know when the next decision to acquire a company will be made. However, he always keeps his eyes and ears open so as not to miss out on suitable opportunities.